Steaming apparatus for petrol-tanks and the like.



T. A.-CROMPT0N,JR. & F. CROMPTON. STEAMING APPARATUS FOR PETROL TANKS AND THE LIKE.

APPLICATION HLED MAY 15, 1911- Paiented Nov. 6, 1917.

THPMAS ALBERT, w -ars n J35, nn ANK .eeelyler a F LONDON, ENQLAND- STEAIVIING APPARATUS FQER. rnraop-rzmxsenn TEE LIKE.

To all whom it may concern;

Be .it knew; th t we Tno ns A rsnnr Cwnre' s i .J 1:, and Fee Gammon, ath subjeetstefthe King 055, n 'langl resi;

Provides new-form 0f apparatus 10 i the type employed. for receptacles for inflammable fluid, which apparatus ordinarily comprises a ventilating-shaft proyidedwith a steam; admission cenduit in addition to the ventilating;conduit with its, usual double.- acting-relief-valve, the said steam-admissien onduit. being controlled (by; a val e i- 11, Whenthe steam is admit ed, is rai d be fill- 3$ off the relief-waive, but ,at oth r times Opera ateste close. the steam-admission c nd-nit. Apparatus of this itypge is need fer steaming Qu the container Wh n empty 1 91; admi tingsteam t0 extingnishfire th-is should oecurvzwithin the. container. I A

It; is Well-known that anki s e me nd other con ainers for pet ol foruex mn e, -e quire-ventilation. For-this purpo e; air-Q01 duit1 is usually previded which; cemgnunicateswith the, upper portion of the tank and has. at; its top- ,a double-acting valve which will allow the escape-0fgas. ifipltessmze is set up within the container or Will allew a-ir to enterif the pressure in the eentaineriisalevvered either bythe Withdrawal 'fi' iqui n by other means, and the apparatus already referred to is applied 110 this, ventilating; conduit that steam, ay bediseharged into. the centainer by means of, thesame 0911-, duit withontinterfering Withthesaid d011,? hie-acting relief-valve, anfurther valve being provided to ,automatieally shut OihCOmmU i-J cation with the reliefr-valiveiasiallze idy@ 1 scribed Whensteam is admitted by the 09mmunicating-conduit provided itherefer. One objeqtof the present ,niventien; is-ite'se arrange this second valve .thetuwhen it is moved bythe steainitonshut- 011 therelief valve, there will be little or notendency to, displace it from'the ,positionzinte whiehsitiis thus moved; v

According to this invention, appanatusif ii steaming petrol tan'ks- 01* the like cemprises the. combinatien: With-5L ventilatorrconduit Application fil d May-1: 1am seam. ween.

nt el a l t J n d y. a d leel ng eefw e iver ty-12m fll Q Q O ldH h 1 has .e-,ra; the en i a or-co duit: an r eda s the a d alv ha i de ery: end Within the' en latelw n uit n dimp STATES I? wee en 9 e t r ain 1 etenti d w 1 rested awayirenr the valve, and has a movbl wall-pmtt n 1 h s m r q i, is hape eco ne ete wi h a se ting in he e lato cenduit as a valve te; shut 01i the said reliefval'vepwl e fini l unde -pre su e i admi t e,th inj eter-e nduit. 0 th t wh n St for mple. s-fl lm tedfer c an g run peses the pressure; p f the steam upon this l rn ti 2nw il mu e itiw shu Ofi th re ef-val 11. -t =s ea n being ive Ward from the linj ecter-conduit will have i tle endency t iipa s-h ckz-i he pp esi di eet s at Pres u e n a dir cti n nding-t0 nsee thei lve previd d byitl e saidallrnertien B f rab n inne'er-tone s 1 x ided with. eni lbqw it in the. ntfl tonconduihat the Point fi m 1 9i ent rs he lat? ter, a d the l lQ i b fl wa l-norti n is s a ed v i-a e tf h I lz ew w ch s ow rd.- lie nezl'ietf-valtehat; a eat ng for. thi .meyr bl aW3llTPQIti 1 fl ,b e ly acc mmw at d ith thea z a or h y entila rreon din th a mov bl wal -zpeltt eneing con: r s l ently mo n s en ntric l y wit that pertqot t er -1 1M,, "ree lu t hic z' e teinsathe lre ;ta v am s! hei h f.- Them ra lewell-pertio is nnvenien ly n the e ima f a dreamed-1 ,0 i n ra with Me ting ermed erl tin th n l t r m itmnd esa tacheditoi -t a s ud Whieh l es Withi theiniect meendu ts hat h n he a ve sleevedt;- nd r pre sin s i flu-id; admitted I to the injecter -eonduit, the

shr ud e l he ndu z pe i g.w er n he mil'remove I I he.agz nliva lyihev d wns h h llu trates one me hod carrying .Ql l'n hf 11 venti'on, as much qf the vap paratusis shown s is n ee sern vfer the und st nding f t inventi0n,and part of such apparatusr is Shenn. i neutra ver i al ection! 9 "th t-t nstrupne th ghonh may-be re d y. 1 0Wed5-m.-. .-e I The ventilator conduit A. is enlarged at A? to eneiv 1 m nieetorac nduitr B- Y e d of the cpndnit A: carries ahdeublje; e which s not shown because it forms" no. mart new esofithe p nt nv n:

tien, ilai v. e -v ienttvpeiwhie i il per? mite theiqingresseof rain ivhen; a lewering 05f.

the pressure is lowered pressure takes place within the tank, and an egress of fluid when the pressure is raised within the tank. The valve-carrying portion lies outside of the tank or other container to which the apparatus is applied, but the lower portion, say from the flange indicated at A lies within the tank. The part immediately below the flange A contains one or. more ports A which are situated well above the level of the fluid in the container, so that any gas generated can escape by these ports up through the conduit A and past the relief-valve at the top, or if within the container, the air may enter by the reliefvalve at the top and pass into the container through the ports A. Below the ports A the ventilatingconduit has an extension A which assists in the steaming hereinafter described, the bottom of this conduit preferably lying close to the bottom of the container.

The injector-conduit B has an elbow-bend B so that connection can be made with it outside the conduit A by means of the external flange B which is situated-at a point where the injector-conduit enters the ventilator-conduit. On that face of the elbow which is toward the relief-valve, that is, to-

- Ward the upper portion of the conduit A, is

an opening 13 within which fits a valve C. Theouter face of the valve is shaped to cooperate with a seating A formed on the interior of the conduit A, and the valve has a depending shroud G which cooperates with the periphery of the aperture B to seal the said aperture when the valve is raised as hereinafter described. The exterior wall of the shroud C is conical in form, the upper end being smaller than the lower end, and the lower portion is made thin for a purpose hereinafter described. The injector-conduit has an interior projecting portion C within the elbow B which provides a seating for the valve C when in the lowered position shown, and the valve further has an external lip C which may seat itself upon the exterior periphery of the opening B in the elbow. In the extension G a guide-web C is provided to receive a stem C on the valve to steady the valve in its movements.

It will be observed that the injector-conduit B extends down well beyond the ports A in the ventilator-conduit A. r

The operation of this apparatus is as follows So long as the valve C is in the position shown in the drawing, the relief-valve at the top of the ventilator-conduit, operates in the usual manner to maintain the pressure within the container approximately equal to that of the external atmosphere, but when the apparatus is to be used for cleaning purposes steam is admitted through the elbow B of the injector-conduit B and the pressure of this steam immediately lifts the valve naaasve C, which as will be seen constitutes a mov-- able part of the wall of the injector-conduit. This movable part being raised, causes the outer surface, which is shaped as a valve, to cooperate with the seating A to shut off the relief-valve by shutting off the upper portion of the ventilator-conduit A. VYhen in this raised position, steam is not allowed to escape by the opening B because the shroud C keeps this sealed.

The shroud virtually constitutes a telescopic connection between the valve and the elbow B but by making it conical as described, and thinning the lower edge, it is left free for up and down movement, and when in the raised position the thinned edge, which then beds against the inner face of the periphery of the aperture B is expanded by the pressure of steam to insure a fluidtight joint between these parts. The steam is thus delivered from the lower end of the conduit B and being driven forward by the pressure with which it is introduced, there is little or no tendency to set up back pressure in the'enlargement A of the ventilatorconduit A to operate u on the lip of the valve C to thereby unseat it. The valve in fact is kept well up against its seating A by the pressure of the steam over a large area and only a small area is exposed for any back pressure which may exist in the said enlargement A Further, the injectorconduit being carried below the ports A causes the steani delivered from it to draw in air or vapor through the apertures A and carry this down to the bottom of the conduit A where it is discharged with the steam at the bottom of the tank or container which is to be steamed. This arrangement insures a circulation being set up as fluid 1 will always be drawn in through the apertures A which are at the top of the container andwill be delivered at the bottom of the container.

Obviously the lower portion A may in some cases be dispensed with, but where it is desired to carry the steam direct down to the bottom of the container, it is neces sary to provide the ventilatorconduit with this extension. As soon as the steam pres sure is released within the container, the valve C drops back to the position shown in the drawing, so that the relief-valve can operate in the usual manner.

It will be understood that theuse of the term ventilator-conduit throughout the appended claims, is intended to cover any conduit which is controlled by the double relief-valve for permitting ingress and egress of fluid, and the use of the term injector-conduit is intended to cover any conduit within the ventilator-conduit which discharges fluid along the conduit in the direction away from the valve.

For fire-extinguishing purposes, the appe a i used 5 in the am m nnerv s has l eady eud sc ecl, t t ist say, team is admitted through the inj ector-conduit, but as thedower pgu'tion r", oiithe ventilator- .conduit. isthen immersed in the petrol or .otherfluid containedby the tank, the said steam. oraa great part of; it;will escape by theportsAiinto the upper part of the tank and will thus smother'the flames; this is included under the general termsteaming in the appended .clai mi 1 1g-clauses.

What weclaim, asour invention and desire to secure byLetters Patent is 1.

1. In apparatusfor steaming and extinguishing fire within containersfor liquids, the combinationof aicontainer, a ventilatorconduit having one end within the container and, the other end projecting outside the same, a double-acting,relief valve for-controlling the egress and ingress at the outer end of said conduit, a seating, in said venti lator-conduit and an injector-conduit which enters a part of the ventilator-conduit controlled by the said relief-valve, has its delivery-end Within the ventilatorconduit and directed away from the relief-valve, and has a movable wall-portion whose exterior is shaped to cooperate with said seating in the ventilator-conduit as a valve to shut off the said relietvalve when fluid under pressure is admitted to the injector-conduit, for the purpose set forth.

2. In apparatus for steaming and extinguishing fire within containers for liquids, the combination of a container, a ventilatorconduit having one end within the container and the other end projecting outside the same, a double-acting relief-valve for controlling the egress and ingress at the outer end of said conduit, a seating in said ventilator-conduit and an injector-conduit which enters a part of the ventilator-conduit controlled by the said relief-valve, has an elbow at the point where it enters the ventilatorconduit, the delivery-end of the elbow being directed away from the reliefvalve, and has a movable wall-portion situated on that face of the elbow which is toward the reliefvalve the exterior of which Wall-portion is shaped to cooperate with said seating in the ventilator-conduit opposite such wall-portion so that the latter acts as a valve to shut oif the said relief-valve when fluid under pressure is admitted to the injector-conduit, for the purpose set forth.

3. In apparatus for steaming and eXtinguishing fire within containers for liquids, the combination of a container, a ventilatorconduit having one end within the container and the other end projecting outside the same, a double-acting relief-valve for controlling the egress and ingress at the outer end of said conduit, a seating in said ventilator-conduit and an injector-conduit which enters a part of the ventilator-conduit conventilator-conduit as a tr l edby. the. saidz elietvalv ha i s dei V 4:. Inapparatus for steaming and extinguishing the comb nat on of a conta ner, a vent1latorconduithaving one end within ,the container and theother end-projecting outside the same, a double-aeting reliefsvalve for. 00. 1- trollingtheegress and ingress at the outer end o ;t ,sai d conduit, a seating in said ventilator conduit and. an injector-conduit which enters a part of the ventilator-conduit controlled bythe saidrelief-valve, has its delivery-end within the ventilator conduit and directed away from the relief-valve, and has a movable wall-portion whose exterior is shaped to cooperate with said seating in shut off thesaid relief-valve when fluid under pressure is admitted to the injectorconduit, the said movable wall-portion having a shroud attached' thereto which lies within an opening formed for it in the injector-conduit so that when the wall-portion is advanced by the pressure Within the conduit the shroud seals the opening in which it moves as part of the said wallportion for the purpose set forth.

5. In cpparatus for steaming and extinguishing fire within containers for liquids, the combination of a container, a ventilatorconduit having one end within the container and the other end projecting outside the same, a double-acting re1ief-valvefor controlling the egress and ingress at the outer end of said conduit, a seating in said ventilator-conduit and an in ector-conduit which enters a part of the ventilator-conduit controlled by the said relief-valve, has its delivery-end within the ventilator-conduit and directed away from the reliefvalve, and has a movable wall-portion whose exterior is shaped to cooperate with said seating in the ventilator-conduit as a valve to shut off the said relief-valve when fluid under pressure is admitted to the injector-conduit, the said movable wall-portion having a shroud attached thereto which lies within an opening formed for it in the injector-conduit so that when the wall-portion is advanced by the pressure within the conduit the shroud seals the opening in which it moves as part of the said wallportion, the operative portion of the shroud moreover being made sufliciently thin so fire within containers'for li uids the ventilator-conduit as a valve'to that it is automatically expanded against the sides of the opening in which it moves by the pressure within the injector-conduit, for the purpose set forth.

6. In apparatus for steaming and extinguishing fire within containers for liquids, the combination of a container, a ventilatorconduit having one end within the container and the other end projecting outside the same, a double-acting relief-valve for controlling the egress and ingress at the outer end of said conduit, a seating in said ventilator-conduit and an injector-conduit whichenters a part of the ventilator-conduit controlled by the said relief-valve, has its delivery-end within the ventilator-conduit and directed away from the reliefvalve, and has a movable wall-portion whose exterior is shaped to cooperate with said seating in the ventilator-conduit as a valve to shut off the said relief-valve when Copies of this patent may be obtained for five lies within an opening messes fluid under pressure is admitted to the injector-conduit, the said movable wall-por tion having a shroud attached thereto which formed for it in the injector-conduit so that when the wall-portion is advanced by the pressure within the conduit the shroud seals the opening in which it moves as part of the said wallportion, the operative portion of the shroud moreover being made sufficiently thin so that it is automatically expanded against the sides of the opening in which it moves by the pressure within the injector-conduit the said shroud further having a conical exterior whereof the larger end is farthest from the valve-face of the movable wallportion, for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof we have signed our names to this specification.

THOMAS ALBERT GROMPTON, JUNIOR. FRANK OROMPTON. I

cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Eaten'cs,

Washington, 10. G. 

